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Ignatius Piazza - The Purpose

Front Sight

Front Sight Firearms Training Institute - why was it founded? Dr. Ignatius Piazza founded the institute with a purpose. One evening in 1988, Dr. Ignatius Piazza was at home when a car drove through his neighborhood. Bullets flew from the open windows and devastated everything they hit. Dr. Ignatius Piazza immediately realized something. He owned guns. He was a gun enthusiast. He shot them regularly at the range. However, he says, "I was never taught the skills required to use a gun when it is needed most—to defend one's life."

He knew he had a job ahead of him - to become expertly trained in every area of firearms. He took thirteen week long courses over the next three years, and practiced for thousands of hours, and finally could say that he had the certificates. He was branded an expert in Special Pistol, Shotgun, Carbine, and Rifle courses. Over the weeks, Dr. Ignatius Piazza got better and better at handling a firearm and he more so realized the importance of being well trained. He came to the conclusion that he wanted not only himself to be expertly trained, but he wanted other people to be trained as well. This is the notion that gave birth to the idea of Front Sight Firearms Training Institute.

He searched for training courses in special weapons for private citizens and found that it was near impossible to find them. As he kept looking for training possibilities, he learned of a test that was and is considered the ultimate test of gun handling, speed and marksmanship - The Four Weapons Combat Master Test. It is a test so difficult that most people who take it fail, and even more people will not even try it because they are sure of the outcome. Up until that point in time, only one person had ever passed the test. Dr. Ignatius Piazza knew he wanted to pass that test. If he was going to be training other people, he knew he had to be the best. So he trained for hours - every day. He took the test and failed, so he kept training. He kept at it, determined to give his students the best possible training, and on August 28, 1993, Dr. Piazza became the second man in the world to receive a certificate as a Four Weapons Combat Master.

In April of 1996, he founded Front Sight Firearms Training Institute. It was a small institute then, located in Bakersfield, California, but every year it has at least doubled in size and continues to do so as the years go by. Now, Front Sight is located on a 550 acre plot of land just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. The training offered at Front Sight far exceeds law enforcement and military standards, giving students the best opportunity to be the best.

In the words of Dr. Piazza, "Regardless of what the unenlightened in the world may say, remember this, my friend — you are the weapon and your firearm is just a tool. Upon graduation, you will fully understand why Front Sight's motto is: Any gun will do — if you will do!"